“The FirstEnergy scandal shows everything that could go wrong with companies’ political spending in 2024”

July 31, 2023, 5:43 pmbribery, campaign financeRick Hasen

Allison Herren Lee and Bruce Freed oped in Forbes: When the Cleveland Browns removed the scandal-tarnished name of FirstEnergy from their football stadium, it symbolized how far the Ohio utility’s good reputation had fallen. The name change followed guilty… Continue reading

“Status of Partisan Gerrymandering Litigation in State Courts”

July 31, 2023, 3:58 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

New from the Brennan Center.

“REPORT: Corporate Interests Gave Election Objectors $4.6M Last Quarter, Now Totaling $45M Since Insurrection”

July 31, 2023, 10:13 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Accountable.us: A new analysis from government watchdog Accountable.US found Fortune 500 companies and industry trade associations donated over $4.6 million in the second quarter of 2023 to members of Congress that voted against certifying the 2020 election results. Since the… Continue reading

“The Michigan false electors, facing felony charges, are participating in a fundraising pool party in Oakland County this week.”

July 31, 2023, 8:28 amchicaneryRick Hasen

Can’t make this up:

“Fulton County DA says work is done in Trump probe and ‘we’re ready to go'”

July 31, 2023, 7:51 amelection subversion risk, UncategorizedRick Hasen

CNN: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reaffirmed in a local news interview that she will announce charging decisions by September 1 in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election result… Continue reading

“The ‘Johnny Appleseed of election fraud’ wants to upend voting in America. Why he’s focused on California”

July 31, 2023, 7:48 amchicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

LA Times: Frank is convinced that American elections need saving and believes that to do so, people must take back the ballot box one county at a time. And though his allegations have been disproved and dismissed by election experts… Continue reading

“Democrats worry their most loyal voters won’t turn out for Biden in 2024”

July 31, 2023, 7:43 amcampaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Democrats are worried about a potential drop next year in turnout among Black voters, the party’s most loyal constituency, who played a consequential role in delivering the White House to President Biden in 2020 and will be crucial in… Continue reading

“Scoop: Why Biden’s team soured on Dems’ election lawyer”

July 31, 2023, 7:41 amelection law biz, electoral collegeRick Hasen

Axios: The big picture: The split between Biden’s team and Elias — who had represented the DNC since 2009 — reflects a larger fight within the party on the best legal approach to expand and protect voting rules. Elias… Continue reading

ELB Book Corner: Sam Issacharoff: “The Institutional Foundations of Democracy”

July 31, 2023, 7:37 amcomparative election law, ELB Book CornerRick Hasen

I am pleased to welcome Sam Issacharoff to ELB Book Corner, author of the new book, Democracy Unmoored. Here’s the first of four posts: The 2016 election of Donald Trump may have focused American attention on the rise of… Continue reading

A Huge Thanks to Dan Tokaji

July 31, 2023, 7:33 am#ELB20thRick Hasen

…who went above and beyond in blogging for much of the month of July, giving me time for both a bit of a break and for work on this project. I especially appreciated Dan’s reflections in this #ELB20th post. There’s… Continue reading

#ELB20th: Election Law in the Age of Trump

July 31, 2023, 6:13 am#ELB20thDan Tokaji

A few months ago, Rick and others celebrated the 20th anniversary of this blog with a series of guest posts. Serving as dean of a law school doesn’t usually allow me to keep up with day-to-day developments in the… Continue reading

“US election officials are quitting at an alarming rate”

July 30, 2023, 7:38 amelection administrationDan Tokaji

The Guardian: Over the last four years, at least 40 of North Carolina’s 100 counties have had to replace their election directors due to retirements, resignations and other career moves. Patrick Gannon, a spokesperson for the state Board of … Continue reading

“Republicans dominate in Florida. Abortion and pot could change that.”

July 30, 2023, 6:26 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

Politico: “National Democrats had all but written off Florida as a lost cause — a former purple state turned solid red by the MAGA movement and Gov. Ron DeSantis. But key party leaders in the state, desperate to turn… Continue reading

“Lawsuit asks Ohio Supreme Court to block abortion rights measure from November ballot”

July 30, 2023, 6:13 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

Cleveland.com: After an abortion rights amendment qualified to appear on the November ballot in Ohio, a new lawsuit from Republicans asks the Ohio Supreme Court to block the measure. Filed on Friday, the challenge argues that the abortion rights… Continue reading